BIG SHIFTS IN TEAM STANDINGS FOR THE FINAL DAY OF THE REEF ISA WORLD SURFING GAMES IN PANAMA

Team Champion and Individual Gold Medalists will be Crowned on Sunday

The second to last day of the Reef ISA World Surfing Games saw big changes in the overall team standings.

The door is now wide open for Brazil, which is now in the lead, and for Peru and Australia, which are close behind and are making a charge for the stash of trophies – the Fernando Aguerre World Team Champion Trophy, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President’s Trophy and the “Copa V Centenario Del Descubrimiento Del Oceano Pacifico,” or 5th Century Cup of the Discovery of the Pacific Ocean, and the individual Gold Medals.

Sunday is the final day of competition, when the Team Champion and Gold Medalists will be decided.

“Competition is getting down to the wire with the exciting Final Day on Sunday,” remarked ISA President Fernando Aguerre. “Surfing conditions are expected to improve with waves in the head high range. I wish all the National Teams and their surfers the best of luck! You won’t want to miss any of the amazing action on the live webcast.”

Today featured high performance surfing from all competitors in both the Men’s and Women’s Repechage rounds. Surf conditions improved from the previous days, but remained challenging with a strong onshore wind.

The highest scoring waves saw a mix of powerful turns and critical airs.

The Men’s Qualifying round during the morning saw some of the day’s best action. The in-form local Panamanian surfer, Jean Carlos “Oli” Gonzales, who’s been on fire all contest long, was in last place in the final minute of his heat, but he managed to pull a huge air that awarded him 7.60 sending him to first place. The local crowd on the beach erupted with loud cheers in support of their fellow countryman. Gonzales defeated Leandro Usuna (ARG, 12.93), Francisco Bellorin (VEN, 12.46) and Thomas Woods (AUS, 11.07).

Peru’s Anali Gomes had the day’s highest total heat score of 16.04 and is now in the Women’s Qualifying Final. Photo: ISA/Michael Tweddle

In the Men’s Repechage, Brazil’s Alan Jhones, was the best surfer of the Round, earning 13.00, defeating his team-mate Jose Francisco (BRA, 8.67), Mikey February (RSA, 7.90) and Thomas Woods (AUS, 6.77).

Nao Omura from Japan and Ecuador’s Dominic Barona are still competing and keeping the hopes alive for their teams. Omura posted a 13.66 against Kelly Ann Laide (PUR, 9.34) and Tanika Hoffman (RSA, 6.53), who is now out of the event.

At this point in the contest, Team Brazil is leading followed by Australia, Peru and South Africa.

Here’s a full list of team standings after day 6 of competition:

Brazil

Australia

Peru

South Africa

Costa Rica

Argentina

Chile

Panama

Italy

Ecuador

Puerto Rico

New Zealand

Venezuela

Japan

Mexico

Switzerland

El Salvador

Guatemala

Uruguay

Jamaica

Turkey

Canada

Sweden

Russia

The top 7 placing teams will qualify for the ISA China Cup, the ISA’s signature event that is held annually in January on Hainan Island in the South China Sea.

The 2013 Reef ISA World Surfing Games resumes tomorrow with The Morning Show at 6:20am (Panama time) hosted by Chris Ernst and Philip Muller, featuring Chile’s Guillermo Satt.

Following that, the competition will feature:
Open Women’s Repechage 6
Open Men’s Repechage 8
Open Women’s Qualifying 5
Open Men’s Qualifying 6
Open Women’s Repechage 7
Open Men’s Repechage 9
Open Women’s Repechage Final
Open Men’s Repechage Final
Final Women
Final Men

About The International Surfing Association:
The International Surfing Association (ISA), founded in 1964, is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the World Governing Authority for Surfing. The ISA governs and defines Surfing as Shortboard, Longboard & Bodyboarding, StandUp Paddle (SUP) Racing and Surfing, Bodysurfing, Wakesurfing, and all other wave riding activities on any type of waves, and on flat water using wave riding equipment. The ISA crowned its first Men’s and Women’s World Champions in 1964. It crowned the first Big Wave World Champion in 1965; World Junior Champion in 1980; World Kneeboard Champions in 1982; World Longboard Surfing and World Bodyboard Champions in 1988; World Tandem Surfing Champions in 2006; World Masters Champions in 2007; and World StandUp Paddle (SUP, both surfing and racing) and Paddleboard Champions in 2012.

ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies of 102 countries on five continents. Its headquarters are located in La Jolla, California. It is presided over by Fernando Aguerre (Argentina), first elected President in 1994 in Rio de Janeiro. The ISA’s four Vice-Presidents are Karín Sierralta (PER), Kirsty Coventry (ZIM), Casper Steinfath (DEN) and Barbara Kendall (NZL).
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